YEREVAN, MAY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. An International Festival of Pantomime Theaters will be held on August 10-15 in Tsakhkadzor on the initiative of the RA Ministry of Culture, Yerevan State Theater of Pantomime, Union of Theatrical Figures of Armenia and National Theatrical Creative Union. As Zhirayr Dadasian, festival's Executive Director, said at the May 6 press conference, the festival will be held once every two years. Pantomime theaters from Spain, Italy, Greece, Russia, and other countries have already submitted bids for taking part in the festival. Armenia's theatrical companies will also take part in the festival presenting performances of that genre. The theatrical companies will present their art during five days, in Tsakhkadzor streets in the daytime and on the open-air stage of the festival in the evening. The festival will be opened with a great festive parade with the participation of theaters, circus groups, orchestras. Within the framework of the festival Tsakhkadzor streets will be turned into exhibitions, stages for puppet and circus performances, playgrounds, and fairs. Z. Dadasian also said that master-classes, forums, discussions will be organized every evening, which, in his opinion, will give a possibility to establish a direct contact between the spectators and companies of actors. There will be party-concerts with live music and dance floors, Armenian performers of folk, jazz, blues, hip hop, breakdance, and rock will present their art. According to the Executive Director of the festival, the festival's main goal is to establish cooperation with international theatrical and cultural organizations, involvement in world theatrical processes, as well as making accessible the best experience of pantomime in the international sphere to spectators of Armenia and abroad. Z. Dadasian considers that there are proper resources in Tsakhkadzor that can provide conditions meeting international standards of culture, creative work, and rest, and it will be interesting that cultural traditions be also formed in that small town where sports events are mainly organized.

---